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Quick Hits – March 21, 2016

Jarett Sanchez disputes my claim

In the March 17 edition of Quick Hits, based on two excellent sources and the court records themselves, I referred to 24th County Board District Democratic Candidate Jarett Sanchez as a “deadbeat dad.”

Mr. Sanchez took exception to that claim and said he will provide evidence that he’s paid every last bit of his child support requirement. If that is the case, I will happily and immediately retract that statement.

Joe Galvan moves up!

Shortly after those 2015 Consolidated Elections, failed Elgin mayoral candidate Joe Galvan was tabbed by Governor Rauner to head the Illinois Housing Development Authority Board. When you consider the headaches involved in being mayor of anything, that wasn’t a bad consolation prize.

And now he’s moving up again!

Galvan was just appointed Regional Director for U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Midwest region which encompasses six states. He will essentially be HUD’s liaison to mayors, city managers, elected officials and much more.

Congratulation Joe!

As far as the timing of this appointment, sources say Joe was asking too many questions about the Chicago Housing Authority’s practice of holding on to dilapidated buildings in hopes of selling them to developers bent on re-gentrification. Apparently, this was making some of the Republican CHA Board Members a wee bit nervous.

Let’s just say that everyone’s happy with this move!

Please don’t foist your children upon the rest of us

Virtually every culture on this vast planet venerates their senior citizens, except for one, of course, us! Elderly Chinese and Japanese citizens are revered for their service and wisdom while Americans worship at the altar of youth, vanity, and stupidity.

How else would you explain Donald Trump and Kanye West?

But it wasn’t always that way.

I vividly recall my younger 14 year-old brother swearing at a neighborhood adult, and when my father found out, he beat the crap out of him in front of all his friends. Given the widespread collateral damage inflicted by the insipid self-esteem movement, today’s dad would probably confront the neighbor for inciting his teenager.

God forbid a teacher should take their fragile little progeny to task because then there’s gonna be hell to pay.

The perfect example of this new child-centric Universe is the ongoing LaRoche versus the Chicago White Sox saga. For those of you who don’t follow sports, White Sox Team President Kenny Williams told player Adam LaRoche he could no longer foist his 14 year-old son on the clubhouse every single bleepin’ day, which he’d be doing for over a year.

Drake LaRoche, who had his own locker and uniform, could show up every now and then – just not every day. So Adam LaRoche immediately quit the team. Can you say “indulgence?” I knew you could!

What I want to know is, how in the bleep did this kid get in the locker room beyond that first day? I can see it happening once or twice, but have you ever been in a sports locker room? I played semi-pro ball and the language and ribald conversation certainly weren’t for the faint of heart, much less a 14 year old’s ears.

Drake’s presence had to change that whole dynamic.

And please think about it. How many of us get to bring our children to work every day? That’s right, none! I didn’t realize the White Sox were in the daycare business too.

Of course family should come first, but once you walk through those Comiskey Park clubhouse doors, your teammates, coaches, manager, and General Manager deserve your full and undivided attention – especially when you’re getting $13 million a year to play a child’s game.

Then to walk away when you don’t get your way? What the hell does that tell your teammates? “My snot-nosed brat is more important than any of you bleeps or making the playoffs?” Perhaps Drake was a distraction because LaRoche’s .207 batting average certainly ain’t nuthin’ to write home about. I could hit .220 against today’s diluted Major League pitching.

So let’s review what lessons Adam LaRoche just taught his son:

He is the center of the Universe

There is an “I” in “team.”

And if you don’t get your way, quit!

Williams did exactly the right thing. He got rid of a needless distraction, he got rid of an egomaniacal player, and he got rid of one of the worst contracts in Major League baseball. Drake LaRoche should be out there playing baseball, not engaging the adult fantasy variety.

So all I can say to Mr. LaRoche is goodbye and good riddance. As for the rest of you, for God’s sake, stop worshipping your bleepin’ children – and keep them the hell away from me too!